Helping trace skiings visions

While we can easily take a journey into skiing’s history and see where rope tows used to incline and old Hall or Heron chairlifts used to swing, we don’t often look at what could have been. If we research through sites like NELSAP we find scores of little and medium sized hills that couldn’t make it for one reason or several others, but what about proposed ski areas and resorts. Earlier in this blog I talked about Lake Catamount near Steamboat Springs and to date that it one of the more famous of these failed or stalled proposals. And while lifts were never erected and base lodges never built, the history behind these proposals is really interesting and many have sketches. An easy way to learn some of this for your self is to head of to Colorado Ski History and look in their dedicated section. Maybe there’s some real estate you’d be interested in.

Has the online forum replaced the bar stool?

We've all been in situations where we've been in a bar and some yahoo is rambling on and on about how epic his ski day was. Heck, maybe you're on of the guys or gals that has done this. It's surely all in good fun. If you're full of crap you're full of crap. Skiers can generally tell what someone is talking a big game. Does this get them the label of a gaper? Perhaps, but even the best of skiers can be a gaper depending on which meaning you choose. Regardless, we know that these situation will never go away and we don't want them to. It can be rather amusing, but with the increasing use of internet chat forums, skiers and riders can now talk all the garbage they want and never have to back it up. It's a funny phenomenon that I see often and like those talkers in the bar, it's easy to get a sense of who is really full of it and who truly has soul.

Saddleback goes ahead with summit quad

It seems that while I was trying to write some accurate information about this summers new lift installations, I forgot one that is hugely important to New England and Maine skiing. While the lift installation falls into the same category as Killington in that the new lift is replacing an old, it's a little more of an upgrade for the good folks at Saddleback, Maine. For the first time ever, the summit will be accessible by a chairlift as the Kennebego T-bar is being replaced with a fixed grip quad. While the t-bar was great in allowing access to the mountain's expert terrain on many cold and windy days, the steep liftline also served as a natural deterrent to folks who should avoid the upper mountain terrain. The lift is part of the resort's 10-year master plan.

Have you checked up on the Peak to Peak?

The world's more extensive and expensive ski lift installation is again going full steam ahead with the two massive towers in place and both terminal stations being fitted with the drives, brakes, conveyors, and extensive sheave trains. Watch some great videos and see tons and tons of photos on Whistler/Blackcomb's Peak 2 Peak site!

The best chalets at some of the world's best ski resorts!

My teenage years were extremely memorable for me as they relate to my skiing experiences. Having lived in London, it was not only easy to hop a flight to Geneva or Zurich for a ski vacation, but it was commonplace. Everyone I the European skiing community knows that Britons love their luxury ski holidays and will spend more on booking some of the best chalets than anything else. Okay, so maybe some more money on ski lessons would help, but that’s neither here nor there. Every years the British flock to resorts like Courchevel, France, Verbiew, Switzerland, and St. Anton, Austria, to name a few. And they are looking to book a luxury chalet in Meribel, they turn to the experts in ski destination bookings, Supertravel. They’ll set you up with a chalet in Val d’Isere, Aspen, or any of Lake Tahoe’s resorts.

Remembering the Lake Catamount proposal!

If you’re old enough to remember this illustration, you’ve been skiing at least as long as I have, but technically the resort in question, on the shore of Lake Catamount is still pending approval. Sure, the original financers back out decades ago and permits would still need to be renewed, but this controversial resort that was planned for development in the 1980s could still happen. Only miles from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, residents and locals thought the idea of a second major resort to the area would help with the economy and bring diversity to the area that hosts only Steamboat Resort. Unfortunately, in the planning and permit process, nearby wetlands along the shores of the lakes caused and environmentalist stir, but in the end (Or the middle, depending on how full your glass is) it was the financial aspect that held the project up. Along with a proposed 14 lifts, the proposal also called for a railroad connection between Catamount and Steamboat Springs. A couple years after the last major financial backers of the original 1970s plan withdrew their names, the powerhouse couple of Tim and Diana Mueller submitted their own proposal for a resort on the mountain. While the proposal was accepted, this nice sketch is still all that’s ever come of the plan.

Summer Sucks!

Have you ever noticed that a lot of skiers and riders don't handle summer very well at all. Aside from the desire to be on the slopes, we are mostly a breed that doesn't like heat. Me, I don't really want it over the mid-70 range and I hate humidity. While many skiers and riders spend time hiking in the summer, a lot of those hikes come early or late in the season, but not so much when summer is at its' muggiest. Thankfully I have the outlet to be able to sail and live on the coast, but I can't imagine living in the mountains in the summer unless it was a place like Lake Tahoe. People have this perception that Maine is always this cold place, but in the summer our inland areas get as hot if not hotter than most parts of the country and we get black flies. Yikes!

A slow year for eastern installs

As summers go, it's a slow year for lift installations in the eastern United States. While there are many trail and snowmaking projects going on all over the region this year, only two brand new lifts are being installed in New England and no major trail network expansions. Whereas I don't think this means a decline in the industry, (the numbers were up across the board last season) the strong focus on snowmaking upgrades as opposed to terrain and lift expansion is certainly less exciting. New England is seeing two new lifts this summer. Killington is replacing a fixed grip quad with a new Doppelmayr HSQ and as we know, Sunday River is hard at work on the Chondola, which will be the only newly routed lift in the region this year.

Sunday River's Chondola Site Gets Major Upgrade

Constant and consistent improvement is a top priority at both Boyne USA and Sunday River Resort. A cool reminder of this is with the resort’s very new website dedicated to the building of the Sunday River Chondola. Formally, this site was a blog only and was called the Chondalog, but under the guidance of Alex Kaufman it has been transformed into a much more diverse and extensive website, which has multiple pages to include videos, blog updates, technical data and drawing, as well as a photo gallery. You can get to this site by accessing through the Sunday River website or visit chondola.com for more info.

Another Hybrid No One Talks About?

Willamette Pass, WA has what they call a high speed 6-pack, but it also carries gondolas. Granted, it seems as though they only carry the CWA Omega III Cabins in the summer, they have ski slots on the doors. Not only that, I've heard they have run this lift as a hybrid. So why isn't it listed as one of the country's "Chondolas?" I assume that the answer is because they don't use both cabins and chairs in the winter, but the lift seems perfectly configured for it. Very curious. I'll see if I can find a picture.

Still skiing Tucks in July!

Like most of the rest of you, I pretty much figured tat skiing for the year was and is through. I mean, come on, it’s July 6th for Christ’s sake, but low and behold, the heavy snow year has paid dividends to those still willing to make the hike to Tuckerman Ravine on Mount Washington. Sure, snow lasts in the ravine longer than anywhere on the east coast and there have been years where people have talked about the snow left in early July, but I’ve never heard of people skiing or riding the ravine this late. Most people have already switched gears, but no these hearty souls. My hat is most certainly off to them!

What do you do with those childhood ski stories?

You've heard stories of the local rope tows and family ski nights in your communities, but how much do you know about the history of your local ski hill. It's easy to just drive by and recall the days spent sipping hot chocolate in the lodge or hanging on for dear life as the rope tow whisked you to the top of the bunny slope, but whatever happened to that community hill? I suppose the popular idea would be for me to tell you to check out NELSAP, (New England Lost Ski Area Project) but I'm actually writing this in the hope that you will recall these places from your youth that others may not have already and share them with sites such as NELSAP. After 10 years online, a lot of folks think that if the area existed, it is documented on this popular site, but the fact remains that the areas listed are only there because people recall them, go out and fins where they were, and then the history is documented. Of course if you live outside of the northeast (NELSAP lists ski areas all along the eastern seaboard) there are other sites that aren't quite as established of extensive, but are growing...

In construction...

These are the things that skiers do in the summer!

A few posts back I introduced some of you to sites called skilifts.org and a more localized site called chairlift.org. While these are only a couple of websites dedicated to ski lifts in the United States and Canada, there is a ton of really good information and history about lifts and ski areas. From my own research, I have decided that I may want to do an incremental post – say once a week, where I talk about a unique or odd lift or ski area that I’ve come across and why I find it interesting. Chances are that most of you have never seen the pictures or heard of the subjects I’ll talk about whereas some of you will know everything about them. That being said, I won’t talk about the area that a lift exactly like this lift was proposed to be built, but will say that the drawing itself is based on a lift from Custer, South Dakota. It is referenced as a “ski bus” because it is self-propelled, which is to say that while it is on a track line, it is not a jig back lift, nor does it have a haul rope pulling it up the track line. As you can see from the drawing, the engine is actually in the cabin. The only hint I will give as to where this was to be built is that it was in a valley that in home to one of America’s most famous and posh resorts and has three other ski resorts nearby. (Pretty good hint, in my opinion)

The end of American Skiing Company

Almost a year after trying to dissolve itself and having sold off all but one resort, The American Skiing Company is finally laid to rest with the sale of The Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah to resort developer Talisker. While the sale faced legal challenges from the owner of much of the land the Canyons rests on as well as stiff anti-trust opposition from bidder Vail Resorts, the sale agreement has been reached and the company that both changed the landscape of ski resort ownership and at the same time angered many skiers and riders, is no more. Sunday River and Sugarloaf, both in Maine were sold last June to Boyne USA of Michigan. The American Skiing Company was founded by former Sunday River owner, Leslie B. Otten, who had quickly developed several resorts in the east and a handful out west. In 2001, ASC was the largest operator of ski resorts in the United States, but when the company went public to attempt to raise capital for rising investment costs, they were struck with less than favorable weather conditions and began a long downhill slide.

And now for a little "lift porn."

Do you have an infatuation with ski lifts? Probably not because it’s pretty weird fetish to have and yet nonetheless, ski lifts are some of the most fascinating engineering wonders in the world. Sure, there are millions of people that love to ski or ride, but only a handful of people that truly love and appreciate the history and technology that is behind the carriers that get us up the mountain. Yep, I’m one of them and it probably makes me a dork, but I can look at ski lift pictures for hours on end, especially old and rare lifts. Thankfully, I know that there are a lot more of you out there and I encourage you to embrace this little hobby and take a look at what other lifts are out there other than the ones you ridden and the resorts you’ve visited. Several websites around the world focus on ski lifts, but one of my favorites is called Skilifts.org and not only has information of all the components and terms for lifts as well as a whole glossary, but they have a extensive photo and statistical library for ski lifts from all over the country that continues to grow by the month. Now get back to work!

Sunday River lands Snowboarding World Cup for 2009

In 2001, Jeremy Bloom and Johnny Moseley dueled on the bumps of White Heat in an F.I.S. World Cup Freestyle Mogul stop at Sunday River, Maine. While the event was a huge success and brought the spotlight to Sunday River, it's been 7 long years since a World Cup event of any sort has beckoned. Meanwhile, Sugarloaf, Maine has hosted two U.S. Alpine Championships. Sunday River has been fortunate to remain on the radar of the USSA by hosting a few snowboard Grand Prixs, but the World Cup is a whole different level and with the event straddling February and March of 2009, the names competing will be many of the same that will don their nations colors the following year in whistler for the Olympics.

Anyone see a Gondola cabin?

There have been reports of Big Sky Montana gondola cabins showing up at Sugarloaf, Maine by the truck load, but the problem is that Sugarloaf doesn't have a lift permit to install anything this year. As you can imagine, skiers and rider from the Loaf are once again crying foul as their sister resort is getting a new hybrid, but folks in Carrabassett Valley should be stoked in my opinion. I mean you don't truck 35 gondola cabins from Montana to Maine for no reason. Sure, their currently sitting in bushes, but perhaps next year they will be cruising above the West Mountain trail???

Dig a hole and a lift will be built!

While there is still and air of mystery about the whole “chondola” project and others happening at Sunday River, Maine this summer; one thing is for sure, the hole that’s being dug in front of the South Ridge base lodge is not a new pit for pond-skimming. Given that I have very little knowledge of the hard plans for the lift, I can only assume that they are digging to pour concrete for anchors for the base terminal, but then again, depending on what Sunday River has for plans, they could be building an actual base station, which would be beneficial for those folks that will be using the gondola part of the lift and need to be shielded from the cold more than skiers and riders. Yes, I could come up with a bunch of different ideas, but quite frankly, no one cares to read about those despite the fact my imagination constantly produces them.

Skiers take to the boards?

It may sound funny, but in the summer, skiers take to the boards, message boards, that is. Actually, skiers can be found on websites like this all year round, but in the summer we tend to be doing far less skiing (Like none) and a lot more talking about skiing. By talking about the sport with other like minded souls, it makes the summer months go by faster.

Sunday River's "Chondola" blog is up and running

With construction under way at Sunday River, Maine for the new hybrid lift, or "Chondola," the resort has set up a separate website blog for those wishing to track the progress of the lift. Starting with the deconstruction the Borvig triple that was dismantled and will be on route to Michigan, there are facts, videos, links to related topics such as the company doing the installation - Doppelmayr, and lots of pictures. The site should be updated daily and will be linked off the main Sunday River website, but for the time being, it can accessed via www.chondola.com.

Ski Bowl development

Looks like all this development is just past the new triple at the Ski Bowl which opened this past season. The proposed quad would probably connect with the base of the new Burnt Ridge trail pod. This shows the quad and trails being built by ORDA vs. the developers. Not sure how I feel about this since the only benefit of this lift is to the private development although it could possibly take some pressure off the Gore base if parking at the Ski Bowl is expanded. There's barely enough there now for tubing and the triple.

The lengths to ski in the summer

I've never skied in the summer and was thinking about the lengths that soem people go to, to do it. Would you battle altitude sickness and pay a lot of money to go skiing in the summer? Have you considered Chile or Argentina? I know that if I had a little (or a lot) more money and perhaps some more time off, I would be done there in a second. As for the altitude, it would probably be an issue for a while, but I'd find a way to get through it. Of course I could just live in a place like Bend Oregon or Vancouver, BC and then I could go to Mt. Hood or Whistler respectively, but then again, what else would I do in one of those places?

Mount Abrams Changes Hands

Two Maine businessmen have purchased Mount Abrams in Greenwood, Maine. The resort got a bit of an overhaul after being bought at foreclosure auction several years ago and went back on the sale block this season when the current owner decided it was someone else's turn to operate the family-friendly resort in Western Maine, near Sunday River. The new owners pledge a commitment to keeping the resort a small family environment with the only immediate changes being an increase in the size of the ski school.

Oops! A little snag in Boyne's lift plans...

With the new Hybrid being installed at Sunday River, Maine this summer, the plan called for the 22-your-old Borvig triple chair to be moved to one of Boyne's resorts in Michigan. The process of moving the lift began last month as the chairs were loaded onto flatbeds and take across the country, but when it came time to take the lift tower (In picture) out, it seems that someone forgot to get a permit from the Environmental Protection Agency and not the resort can't take legally take the towers out. Whereas I'm sure a permit will be issued, someone dropped the ball...

Need a lift?

If you’re looking to charter a jet, there is a lot of information you need to know. Pricing, jet availability, FAA regulations, pilot credentials, and where specific jets are available. While a lot of corporations went away from the use of private jets in the not-so-distant past due to shareholder concerns, the recent rise in fuel costs has brought the corporate business back and one of the best ways of utilizing this resource has been to get a jet charter as opposed to purchasing a new jet for the company.

Boyne weighs their lift options for Sugarloaf

While Boyne Resorts is installing the northeast's first hybrid lift at Sunday River this summer, Sugarloaf, Maine has been told that no new lift is in the plan for the next year. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen as the rumors continue to fly and some activity has others talking. Big Sky Mountain Resort in Montana recently shipped 35 gondola cabins to Sugarloaf and the chatter perked up. Resort official indicated that their is a chance that a gondola may be installed somewhere on the mountain, but no plans are imminent and none are in the works for next season. All this comes as Sugarloaf has speculated that along with Sunday River, they too, would like a lift to access their mid-mountain restaurant and their has often been talk about a new lift or used gondola being used to access this area on West Mountain. For now it's all speculation, but sometimes it's just more fun that way...

Sunday River rated #1 in east by readers of SnowEast

Snoweast Magazine offered someone new to its' readers this past year. No, polls and surveys aren't new at all to the ski and snowboard world, but it's the first time that any publication has done an exclusive reader survey of eastern ski resorts. While the vote for favorite mountain was broken into resorts over and resorts under 1000 vertical feet, there were also categories from scenery, grooming, and terrain parks. It's no surprise that Sunday River, Maine did well across the board, but it was a pleasant surprise to learn that readers ranked the resort their favorite in the east. Congrats to Sunday River.

Sunday River nabs World Cup snowboarding event!

In 2001, Jeremy Bloom and Johnny Moseley dueled on the bumps of White Heat in an F.I.S. World Cup Freestyle Mogul stop at Sunday River, Maine. While the event was a huge success and brought the spotlight to Sunday River, it's been 7 long years since a World Cup event of any sort has beckoned. Meanwhile, Sugarloaf, Maine has hosted two U.S. Alpine Championships. Sunday River has been fortunate to remain on the radar of the USSA by hosting a few snowboard Grand Prixs, but the World Cup is a whole different level and with the event straddling February and March of 2009, the names competing will be many of the same that will don their nations colors the following year in whistler for the Olympics.

Still looking for a spare chair...

A thread popped up recently on the Sunday River Forum about the replacement of Lift 7 with the “Chondola” and what that meant for the 25 + year-old lift. As you can imagine, lots of folks would love to get their hands on one of the Borvig triple chairs, but most haven’t a clue as to how much each of these weighs. Let’s put it this way – a lot. So anyway, we found out that the lift is scheduled for a re-install at another Boyne resort, which I think is fabulous. We have enough lost ropeways as it is and for those of us that want used chairs, they are out there.

Heavenly adds some Warren Miller to its' site!

Heavenly Mountain Resort has unveiled some new perks to its' website. Always a well-maintained and attractive site with tons of interactive features, Heavenly has finally devoted an entire sub-domain to videos. While you can see the latest Another Heavenly Morning broadcast and promotional videos, the coolest part is that they have been able to get the clips of all the Warren Miller movies where Heavenly has been featured, whether it be as Heavenly Valley or the modern day Heavenly Mountain Resort. It's a real treat to be able to catch all of these without having to rent or even find some of the movies as there are quite a few featuring Heavenly. Have fun with these clips...

Be prepared for any conditions

Changing conditions and weather force us to dress differently for every occasion and there is no exception to this rule when outfitting your police force, security force, or tactical training team. When the weather calls for hot conditions, it’s clear that no any old type of shorts will do. The men and woman serving in these roles needs comfort and functionality. 511 Tactical Shorts provide these features and many more from the brands you count on and trust.

A day of remembering

For some, today means a day off from work or school, a barbeque with friends, or a parade down Main Street, USA, but as a nation, Memorial Day is so much more. To me, it is a day to reflect on our mothers and fathers, grandfathers and grandmothers, and uncles and aunts who served our nation and made it possible for us to become a great nation. It isn't just about those who served in wars oversees, but also those who served at home. There are those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation without selfishness. To be a proud American is to be proud of those who have come before us and understand the work they did to help provide a life for me and my family today. I am grateful and humble to those we honor today. I thank you for everything you did. My God bless and keep you.

Did you know you can ski in Vegas?

Aside form some of the grizzly crimes that are depicted on CSI, Las Vegas is primarily known as a city of lights, all night casino action, and more shows than any city in the world, but what if you go there and have no interest in any of that? The first answer is that perhaps you shouldn’t go, but some of us are stuck going for a reunion or bachelor party and while it can be fun to see the strip and the amazing architecture, there is more to do, which is what I found a few years back. On the practical side, thousands of tourists a year drive to the Hoover Dam to see this massive structure that is a modern American wonder. Me, I took the road less traveled and headed 45 miles out of town. While it was sunny a relatively hot in Vegas, a friend and I went to the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort. A modest mountain by most accounts, the resort is the only ski area in southern Nevada and is so close to downtown Las Vegas that people think I’m nuts when I tell them I went skiing while I was in Vegas. Others know that skiing is my first love and that I would do anything to make such a trip possible, but most people can’t believe there is a ski area so close to the desert. Of course there are plenty of other more conventional things to do in Las Vegas and Trusted Tours & Attractions has a great selection of packages and sightseeing tours. And whether you’re looking for the best tips on live action in Las Vegas, finding the right boat trip on the canals of Chicago, or are looking for things to do in Boston, sign up for the Trusted Tours & Attractions Newsletter today and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a $150 iTunes gift card. Remember though, you must sign up by May 31st to be eligible to win.

Still some snowy surprises this Memorial Day weekend

This year may not have been the snowiest on record in the northeast, but we did receive greater snowfall than average years. This means a couple things this particular weekend. First, the snowpack is still deep in many places that are usually bare this time of year and second, some hiking trails either remain closed or are dangerous for people used to traveling on dry ground. While it isn’t uncommon for Tuckerman Ravine to still have good snowpack, it is rare for the snowfields to have as much snow as they do on Mount Washington and this means that some routes to the summit are still covered. This can be good news for those prepared for an exciting snow-filled hike and for those who have crampons and ice axes, but for the average hiker, the snow can be dangerous. If you’re in the middle of a long hike and you sink into the snow in regular hiking shoes you can either lose one or get your foot very cold and wet. The latter can lead to hypothermia. The best practice is to check local hiking conditions before heading out into the wilderness.

Mount Snow to host spring contest!

One of the best part of the late spring is that while most people have hung up their ski gear and haven't thought about the sport for well over a month, there are still lots of folks out there doing their best to make turns on the remnants of what was stockpiled over the past season. While Mount Washington is always the late spring favorite for its' lasting pockets of snow and high elevation, some resort get in on the action from time to time and host small events to keep people stoked. One such event will take place at Mount Snow this coming weekend where they'll host a small rail jam with park elements. Granted, there won't be much vert and the turns all all earned, it's a great way to get out there, get on the snow, ans see some other enthusiastic skiers and riders.

From days gone by...

With a brisk wind sweeping over the western ridge, I walked under the old Chair 7 Saturday morning, catching a last glimpse of the Borvig triple chair that some 25 years ago was considered high-tech. And while two others will still be in use next year at Sunday River, the new Doppelmayr hybrid will replace the triple and serve up a unique lift experience. I was admittedly a little sad looking up at the old painted brown chairs, but also look ahead to the excitement that will come next year. My hope is that the old triple will be sold and rebuilt on another mountain. Such practice is commonplace in the ski industry, especially with the price of new lifts and the few companies that still make them. And it was that same Saturday night that I cam across this old painting of Sunday River from 1972 – a special piece even before Borvig made its’ mark..

Somewhere in Western Maine - A True Story!

With the distant sun blocked by a thick band of haze, Jules and I scaled Jordan Mountain at Sunday River this past Saturday to get last turns of the season without having to head to Tuckerman. Yes, I plan to make the pilgrimage to Tuck's this weekend, but Jules wanted another day and with her condo at Sunday River, this made sense. While there were few routes down and out skis needed to come off, it was a great day for her to claim day 48 and me to grab day 90!

Have a choice with a walk-in tub

While most people find showers to be much more efficient for cleaning purposes, a lot of older citizens don’t have the stamina to stand in a shower and lack the ability to lift themselves in and out of a regular bathtub. And yet there is a freedom that comes from being able to perform your basic activities of daily living that older people don’t want to lose; walk in tubs allow that freedom to continue.

Time to earn 'em

Being stuck on 89 days for skier days this year is not where I want to be and I think I would be a little upset if I were to not reach 90 days for the season. Of course the lifts have all shut down and there is only one way to reach such a goal. Some say the folks that hike for turns are a little nuts, but I think it has more to do with a peruit of the aforementioned "search." Hiking in the spring and skiing down a slope that still has cover is a fusion of two sports and a rare chance to get onto the slopes in a situation where everything is peaceful. Don't get me wrong, this is not an activity for folks who are not advanced skiers or riders or for anyone not willing to exert themselves a bit - you've got to carry your equipment up there in order to ski it down. That being said, Jules and I will attempt some turns at Sunday River tomorrow. While we will have to survey the resort from afar before decided on where we'll make out ascent and subsequent descent. Given that we're not there yet, I don't have pictures, but I'll certainly post some when I do.

Season Finale at Heavenly Valley

Okay, so it's not called Heavenly Valley anymore, but the title rhymes, so there. Highlighted by 15 feet of snow in January alone, Heavenly had an epic ski season that came to a close on May 4th, two weeks later then usual. While plenty of snow covers the trails and glades above Lake Tahoe, the season changes quickly and people turn their sights to the Blue World for the next several months. For those still looking to make turns in the Tahoe Basin, head to Squaw Valley for lift-served terrain or strap your skis to you back and head up anywhere into the Sierras. Make sure to check out the season-ending thank you video from the staff at Heavenly Mountain Resort!

Tuckerman Awaits!

It was only a few weeks ago when a friend told me that I better get up to Tuckerman Ravine soon if I wanted to do it at all this year. While this person might not exactly be an expert on the best time to go to Tuck's, he gave a summery of what was open and the snow pack. Little did he know, the parts that he thought would soon close, aren't places I care much about and furthermore, the places with the best cover are the steepest parts of the ravine. Of course I think part of the motivation was that he'd just been after a week of 70 degree temps and we have seen those since. In fact the Ravine has had quite a bit of snowfall since. Now all I need to do it lock in a date!

Lifts come to a creaking halt...

I had been holding out hope that at least one ski area would step up and offer lift-serviced skiing this weekend, but it seems that despite plenty of cover at several areas, everyone has thrown in the towel. And yes, I've been asked why I haven't done the same... Really? Me, throw in the towel on my favorite season? Not likely, especially when I have the best fiancee in the world that doesn't want to stop either. So yeah, we'll be hoofing it this weekend!

Let the experts tell you which acne treatment is best

If you’ve struggles or are struggling with acne, you know that finding a medicine that not only works, but is affordable is pretty hard. It would be great if you could just take what each company says for being true, but the fact is that they are trying to sell a product and theirs just might not be for you. It’s good to know that there is a place you can go to find the best acne treatment from experts who know.

The snows of Sugarloaf

Julie and I set out early Saturday morning for the last lift-serviced skiing of the year. With three resorts offering said service this weekend, we headed to Sunday River's sister resort, Sugarloaf. While the sky was gray and the threat of rain was constant, we met up with about 10 other Sunday River folks and enjoyed a fabulous day of soft turns with some sweet sounds being played live on the deck of the Base lodge. After checking into our room in Stratton, Julie and headed back to the mountain to The Bag, one of my favorite restaurants on the mountain. Normally it's so packed you can't see across the room, but there were only a few brave souls left.
Sunday started with lots of promise in the sky to the west. It looked as though it was lightening up after a night of fairly steady rain, but then on the second or so ride up the lift, the rain began to fall at a steady clip. The wind was ripping at the top of the quad, but the snow was awesome. Our numbers for day two were cut in half, but not the smiles. Nonetheless, after about a half-dozen runs, we threw in the towel as are clothes were soaked through. It would have been nice to have had some sun this weekend, but good friends and soft snow made it great! Next weekend with either be back at Sugarloaf if they turn a lift or at Sunday River hiking for turns.
TODAY WAS DAY 89, MY HIGHEST TOTAL EVER!!!!

Is this the last weekend??? :(

Early tomorrow morning, Julie and I will head north on our way to Sugarloaf for one last fling with lift-served skiing. With a surprise 8 inches of snow falling earlier this week and some nice mid-week temps, the Loaf is gonna go off this weekend. While both Sugarbush and Jay Peak in Vermont will both also open for the weekend, Sugarloaf hasn’t turned off their lifts thus far, making them the unofficial “King of Spring,” even after all that rain we got earlier this week. So while Sunday may mark the end of the lift-served season, there is still hope that someone will come out of left field and attempt another weekend opening. If not, we’ll just have to earn our turns.

With hiking season just around the corner...

A really good thing for avid skiers and snowboarders to do is to check out some of the region's lost and closed ski areas. While many are on private land, there are quite a few with public access and the amount of alpine history is fabulous. I've been a fan of NELSAP for several years and have even found a couple lost ski areas myself. You'll alos find some really good links to other "lost" sites, forums, and lots of infomration on ropeways of all sorts.

Sugarloaf's still turning the lift...

I've been trying to avoid looking out the window this morning as the site is saddening. It's been raining for a couple of days and after a week of above normal temps, only one ski resort in the east remains open for daily operations. Sugarloaf, Maine has had to do some patchwork on the lower mountain to provide a groomed trail to the base of the SuperQuad, but has good cover on several trails fomr the top of the lift. Of course it you're looking for grooming, this is not the place... Except that until this Saturday it's the only place. While The Loaf will win the race for the last to be open continuously, Jay Peak and Sugarbush, both in Vermont, hope to open a trail or two each for the weekend. Again, as a note to any skier or rider, terrain will be un-groomed moguls and variable late season terrain for advanced skiers and riders only. If you do not fit into this category - while we still want you to be able to enjoy the sports - please wait until next season for your own safety. For all others, we'll see you out on the hill!

Coming soon to Topia Road... Me

For those who may like some more online articles on skiing and riding, and even a chance to catch some of my original articles, check out Topia Road Online Ski & Snowboard Magazine. You’ll find interesting articles written by folks who know skiing and riding and are willing to share their experience and knowledge with you. Everything from racing, how-to articles, resort reviews, and travel stories will be featured year-round. Subscribe and tell a friend about a new and fabulous place to keep in touch with your favorite winter sports!

Gondola projects taking shape

One of the first posts I made in this here blog was about the massive Peak-to-Peak Gondola project that is currently underway at Whistler/Blackcomb, BC. I talked about a site where you could follow the progress of the construction and installation of this mammoth lift through videos, pictures, and articles - all on a Whistler site. Sadly, this site came down once ski season started and whether it reopens is unknown to me. The Gondola, being built by Dopplmayr/Garaventa, is the largest in the world in terms of tower-to tower span, distance, and maximum height above the ground.
I’ve indeed also talked about a project here at lovely Sunday River, ME where Dopplmayr/CTEC is installing the region’s first hybrid lift (aka Chondola) – gondola and 6-person chair. Okay, so the scale of this project isn’t quite the same as the Peak-to-Peak, but it’s still a fairly major installation and I’ve decided that I will attempt to create a site/blog about the project’s process. The site address is TBD and will also be contingent on approval from Sunday River so stay tuned for further details.

Who will be last? An update!

So about a week ago I discussed all the ski areas closing down as May approaches and I even posed a question to many friends regarding, which ski area will be the last to have lifts running in New England. While only a few have daily operations ongoing to date, there are several that plan to reopen this weekend and some have said they will go further. Actually, some haven't said anything while both Sugarloaf in Maine and Wildcat in New Hampshire have indicated that they will at least go for the first weekend in May. This of course bodes well for people like me, but I have to wonder if a Vermont area will make a last minute decision. With former "King of Spring Skiing," Killington, closing a couple days ago, I would say that the resort with the best skier base to make feasible attempt would be Sugarbush. Jay Peak, the region's snowfall anomaly, could probably make it with their snowpack, but the northern kingdom of Vermont is just too far for many to travel for limited operations. The guessing game goes on.

It takes so long to build up...

...and yet each spring, the snow melts at a pace that is disturbingly rapid. With daytime temps reaching 70 degrees, the cooling effect of the snow surface is enogh to preserve the multiple feet that have packed down over the past several months. And so here we are, a week away from May Day and all but six or seven ski resorts remain open in New England. While earning money takes a back seat to plain old public relations, there is a positive yet somber vibe in the mountains. We celebrate a exciting and successful ski season, but at the same time, we say goodbye to another year of fun, friends, and memories. And while I hope to ski two and maybe three more weekends I sense the snow melting at an even more rapid pace now. The nighs are no longer cold and the days are much less short. Like everything in life, we are in the transition of cycles.

Last Resort Standing???

Okay, so we know that most ski resorts have given their expected closing dates while most have already closed. I personally think Sunday River will be too busy getting ready to build "The Viking Express" to stay open past their announced date, but it would be cool if they pulled a fast one and opened a couple weekends after the 27th. The Loaf has said May 4th, but there have been hints of later. Wildcat has said they will stay open for weekends as long as there is snow and people want to ski, but how many people? The Bush has said they will close, then said they will stay open, and it goes back and forth. If the Bust stays open they will get traffic. Mt. Snow wants to show off what their 101 fans guns did this past winter and prove that their southern location won't keep them from being the last. Finally there's Killington, home of the former "Superstar Glacier." They gave a date and then extended a week; hell they were originally supposed to close a few days ago. So let's hear what you think will happen. My vote goes to WC. I think that their exposure and elevation will hold the snow and they will open on weekends through mid-May or later, or at least I hope...

East vs. West... Again?

I know, this is sort of an odd question, but yet one that has come up recently with some folks from the east asserting that skiing in the two regions are actually different sports. Their argument focused on the fact that out west they get more snow, the elevation is higher, and for the most part, the vertical drops at ski resorts are longer. I guess the point of this post is that I don’t get how those factors would make the sport a different sport. My opinion is that it would make it similar to golf in that you can play a mountain course or an ocean course and while you would have some very different features, it’s still golf. Additionally, there are ski races all over the world, but wherever they are, they are still ski races. I don’t know. I guess I’m thinking out loud.

The Robert Conrad Sierra Trilogy - No it wasn't called that!

Jules often laughs when I talk about a particular TV show I’m watching on DVD. Why? Because it seems that just about every one that I watch is a cancelled show. I don’t think it’s that I like bad shows, but rather shows that some people just couldn’t connect with. A prime example of this would be three series that were created and starred Robert Conrad and family; High Mountain Rangers, Jesse Hawkes, and High Sierra Search and Rescue. The longest run of any of these was HMR, which managed a pilot and 13 episodes or one season, if you will. I don’t know what it was about Conrad that he tried desperately after already having an extremely successful acting career, to have a show work that was set in California and Nevada’s Sierra Mountains. He was obviously intent on it and apparently he was able to sell the idea on three separate occasions. Regardless, I love his stuff, especially the 80’s shows and anything filmed in South Lake Tahoe. The city and region should be proud that he had done all of this work.

I prefer the Hybrid Lift, but you can decide for yourself

So you’ve been reading up on ski lifts and have heard that Sunday River is installing a $7.3 million “Chondola” and haven’t a clue what it is, well you’re not alone. In fact Chondola is really just a nickname for this type of lift which is actually called a hybrid lift and has only been installed three previous times in North America. While it is a fairly complex left, given the need for daily configuration set up, which can be altered depending on needs resulting from temps and wind, the hybrid is one part chairlift and one part gondola. The carriers are interspersed along the haul rope at whatever desired interval the operators chose. The chairs seat 6 and the gondola cabins seat 8. Sunday River’s new Hybrid – I just don’t like the word Chondola – is being designed and installed by Dopplmayr/CTEC with the possible exception of the gondola cabins which in the case of a Dopplmayr installation, are usually purchased from CWA of Switzerland. While the name for the new lift hasn’t been announced, I’ve suggested to the resort that it be called “The Viking Express.” We shall see!

It's not over yet so don't put those skis away just yet.

Even though there are still a couple weeks left of skiing and riding at Sunday River, while at the seasons passholders BBQ today I sensed that people were almost saying goodbye to the season. True, many were, but while people were smiling, eating, and drinking, I just got a sense of sadness. Perhaps much of it was from me. This has been nothing short of an epic season for me and I'm not ready for it to be over, but I must say that this time of year can truly be depressing as the pending closure looms closer with the end of each day. Thankfully, I know that even when the season ends, I'll still see my skiing friends and summer will be okay, but wouldn't it be nice if "Infinite Snow" was an actual reality?

Sometime the unexpected turns out great!

As I awoke this morning, the rain was pouring and the sky dark. Around 9:00, I finally amde my way to the slopes. The rain had stopped but most of the mountain was covered in thick clouds with poor visibility. After about 10 or so runs, I headed west to Jordan Bowl and jumped on the quad. The treat that greeted me at the top was worth the wait and totally unexpected. The Jordan summit was above the cloud cover, sunny, and war, It was a real treat and the snow was perfect!

Bethel's Simon Dumont Breaks Quarterpipe World Record!

It took 4 days and countless runs, but this morning Simon Dumont broke the previous world record of 32.5 feet above the lip of the quarterpipe, held by Norwegian snowboarder Terje Haakonsen by launching a jump of 35 feet and throwing down a 900 spin while in the air. After 3 days of bluebird skies with warm temps, many feared that the record was destined not to fall as each attempt Dumont took was well-short of the mark. The quarterpipe, designed by Snow Park Technologies and funded by Red Bull, is the largest ever to be built and its' placement with a long in-run seemed the perfect spot on Sunday River's Aurora Peak. Yet the slow and wet snow, along with a minor injury kept hampering Dumont, a native of Bethel, Maine who grew up skiing Sunday River. Then Dumont decided to climb further up the mountain than he had on his previous attempts. The result was a huge world record jump that measured 35 feet with some on hand saying that it looked more like 36. Regardless, a collective sigh of relief fell upon the crew and crowd as the X-Games Gold Medalist added another accolade to his already impressive resume.

Another Perfect Day In The Northeast Kingdom

It was early this morning when I heard the distant sound base drive of the South Ridge Quad start turning. Expecting some solid cloud cover and perhaps some NCP, (Non-crystallizing precipitation, we don’t use the word r**n in the skiing world. It’s taboo) I saw the bright rays of the early morning sun peeking through the shades. Curious whether my eyes were deceiving me, I went out to porch to find bluebird skies and warming temperatures. It was day 80 of the 2007/2008 version of the search and having heard the grooming machines all over the mountain last night, I knew that the mountain would be ready. Stepping out of the condo and onto the super-soft April snow, I looked around to the visible peaks to see if any new bare spots were creeping up, it is April 10th after all, and yet the brown blemishes were few and far between. This would be another epic day on snow.

Here's hoping for April snow-showers... or just sun!

As the first week of April has drawn to a close, you wouldn't know it by looking at the ski slopes. Many major eastern resorts are close to fully open and the days keep getting better and better. Ice and hardpack has turned to soft corn snow and the warm temps and high sun provide goggles tans and smiles all around. Sure, most folks have hung up the skis for the year, but the best skiing and riding is upon us right now and I'm loving every minute of it. And while the snow is still deep and I love the warm sunny days, don't forget that last year, April was the season's snowiest month. I guess we'll see, but it seems like a win-win situation!

Simon Dumont to attempt world record jump

Bethel, Maine's own Simon Dumont will attempt to break the world record of air above the lip of a quarter-pipe, which is currently held by Candide Thovex of France. The record, which is 31 feet in the air, is actually about 50 feet above the ground. While Dumont's sponsor, Red Bull is being hush hush about details of when the attempt will be made, the venue is the mountain Dumont grew up skiing - Sunday River, Maine. Crews having been working around the clock constructing the 50-foot structure on the Airglow trail and rumor has it that the actual attempt will take place this week. Red Bull owns the rights to the record attempt and doesn't want unauthorized picture or videos, the reason for the secrecy. In an attempt last year, Dumont got 30 feet above the lip before crashing.

Loon Mountain Review

What day it was today on the southern slopes of the White Mountain National Forest. Loon, a new sister resort to Sunday River and Sugarloaf in the east, is a perennial favorite for commuters from Boston due to its' proximity to I93. Loon has been a major player in the east for a long time, but has struggled with expansion due to permits and changing ownerships. With a vertical drop of 2100 feet, Loon has an impressive drop and it isn't stacked; you can ski from the top of North Peak all the way to the base and then get back up on high-speed lifts. Having not skied Loon in over a decade, I'd heard horror stories about the massive crowds on the weekends and quite frankly I can't imagine the place on a busy day. Luckily, I was there mid-week and there were no crowds or lift lines. Even with the resorts long-awaited expansion to South Peak, the resort does not offer a lot of terrain. With a 4-person gondola and HSDQ getting people up the mountain, there are limited options from there. While I enjoyed the runs off North Peak, I couldn't see myself spending a lot of time at this resort. There are wonderful views and great cruising terrain, but the resort is nothing more than an intermediate haven. There is lack of really anything with much pitch and the only challenging terrain is off the trail map or out of bounds. If not for the fact that my pass to Sunday Rver allows me free skiing at Loon, I would have preferred to drive 10 minutes further to Cannon Mountain.

Parrot Head Weekend

I'm I the only one that thinks it's just a little strange to mix Jimmy Buffett and skiing? I mean his music and auro are representative of the islands and warm weather, yet we're currently in the midst of Parrot Head weekend here at Sunday River. Not only that, but these people come out in strong numbers. Despite overcast skies today, the area where the festivities were being held was packed with people, food, music, and lots of booze. I'm pretty sure some of those folks had no business being on the slopes after that. So anyway, I digress, I like Jimmy Buffett's musics and I can see why it would lend itself well to warm spring skiing, but with this being the 21st annual festival, where is the guy? What, he can't show up to one of these things? :)

Your Mountain's Expanding... April Fools!

Okay, so I’m one of those gullible folks that falls for just about every April Fools prank in the book. Yesterday was a day where ski enthusiasts had a field day with April Fools jokes on seemingly every alpine forum. Sadly, I fell for a good number of them. Perhaps the one that made me want to slap myself the most was a “press release” on the Sunday River Community Forum that was perfect from the format to even some of the details of the announcement. As if last month’s public announcement of the new Chondola wasn’t enough, one of the moderators, who is an employee of Freeskier Magazine, posted a fake press release regarding expansion to the western flank of Jordan Mountain. Such an expansion plan was drawn up over a decade ago under the direction of Les Otten and is still a viable option for the resort. Why this worked? Sunday River announced spending upwards of $20 million through this summer of which only $14 million has been accounted for, so trail expansion along with the history of the plans made it believable, especially with the huge increase of skier visits this year. Why this shouldn’t have worked? The author noted that the 200 acre development would be serviced by a new 6-pack. That would be unrealistic with the feeder lifts all being quads. Anyway, many of us took the bait. Other fictional press releases from online forums around the area included the finalization of the Killington-Pico Interconnect with a two way high-speed quad, despite POWDR Corp indicating this was not in their immediate plans, Sugarloaf’s expansion to Burnt Mountain, which was perhaps the most believable as the mountain has indicated plans are being drawn for the expansion, and the most ludicrous being an expansion at Crotched Mountain that would not only reopen the closed side of the resort, but also link the two to now defunct Temple Mountain via a tram taken from Cannon. I’m not sure anyone bought this one, but the funniest part about it was that the article said Cannon was replacing the iconic Tram with a Chondola. Now I don’t know about you, but I’m not so sure I’d like that chairlift ride!

Just something to think about when riding the chairlift... Or before!

Actually, it's probably something to think about before getting on the chair and I really shouldn't joke as whenever my dad sees me in my ski pants he asks why I don't have the bib over my shoulders and instead, hangin behind me. He always says that it's going to get caught on a chairlift and now that I've seen this short video, he may be right. Yikes!

Winter or Spring... Part 2. Spring!

So I've already told you all about the interesting yet wonderful conditions from Saturday, but what about Sunday... Let me preface by saying that late Saturday evening I left the condo on the mountain to head into town to grab some provisions and the wind was howling at about 60 knots. And whereas that may be an overstatement, it may not be, it was ripping through that valley and the access road was almost a white-out due to blowing snow. Pretty cool, actually!
So Sunday we awake a little late, but meet up with some friends over on the west side of the resort and not only is there no wind, but the sun is shining brighter than any day this season - in Maine that is. It was one of those days when you don't really care about taking the high-speed lifts because the slow ones allow for the goggle-tans. The conditions went from firm and powdery on the western fringes to soft corn-snow as you got closer to the hub of the resort. That's one of the great things about Sunday River; the fact that the current layout is three miles wide truly makes for different weather patterns. The west is typically colder, windier, and gets more snow as it's situated on the edge of a notch. It also is prime for sun given its' higher elevation. The fact of the matter is that Jewels and I had a perfect day with 20 runs and no desire to stop... I can't wait until this weekend!

Closing time for many of the smaller ski operations

I had a sad revelation as I was reading the sports section of the local paper yesterday. Ironically I had just gotten back form Sunday River where the mountains and surrounding lands are still buried in multiple feet of snow from this years’ near record snowfall. And still with all the snow covering the mountains, I read the snow reports for the state’s smaller ski areas and many of them had yesterday listed as the last day of operation. While these areas will mostly all close at 100% of their terrain open, it is a time of year when running the lifts isn’t viable for them. They have no other cash cows like expensive eateries, lodging, or boutiques. Thankfully, the early reports out of the Ski Maine Association indicate that almost all the states’ ski areas, if not all, had very good financial years. Combine that with the fact that a few of the larger resorts will be open for several more weeks to come and the sadness is lessoned, but it’s just one of those sign posts I hate seeing every year.

Winter or Spring... Part 1. Winter!

This past weekend was definitely one of the best since Jules and I returned from Lake Tahoe, but it had some surprises in store for all of us. After arriving at Sunday River fairly late Friday night, we awake early to some gently falling snow - just a little coating really, but enough to make everything look magical. I was a little surprised to see 18 degrees on the thermometer on the deck and then when the wind kicked in I though we had been transported back to mid-January. Nevertheless, we're from Maine and we're skiers and a little cold and windy weather doesn't hold us back... Until the wind puts lifts on hold, that is. This only happened to one lift on Saturday, but we had just ridden the Jordan Quad and had a super-sweet run down Rogue Angel with a nice firm center and wind-blown powder drifts on the sides of the trail. So we migrated over to Oz, and got first tracks on the upper part of Tin Woodsman and Lost Princess. It was amazing how the reported snowfall of 4 inches over the two days before had settled (with the wind's help) to provide us with some 8-10 inch-deep turns all the way down to Kansas. Then as Jules, our friend Mark, and myself found a patroller dropping the rope to the main sections of Tin Woodsman and Lost Princess - from Kansas down - which hadn't been open for weeks. The view from the cat tracks was intense - powder everywhere. The first few turns were deep, light, and dry - again, the 4 inches had blown right where we wanted it, then it got "special" as I hit some breakable crust-covered moguls and then a knee to waist-deep powder pocket and then another bulletproof bump. About halfway down I asked Jules how much she hated me, but she didn't. She knew it would be interesting, but neither Mark nor I thought it would be this weird. The lower third of the trail was nice and light, but it would only be one run on there for us. The rest of Saturday was great. The other side of Oz was fabulous as was Aurora and White Cap. The conditions on most of the mountain were very consistent, still firm, but not icy. The lack of crowds made it a treat. As we skied back to the Condo, I looked back towards Jordan Mountain and knew that the wind was just getting it ready for even better conditions.

The Globe has called the ski season a wrap for another year

For some of us, it doesn’t seem like winter is long enough. And while snow is currently falling outside my office window, one of the sure signs of winter has passed for another year. No, Boston isn’t considered a winter wonderland, so to speak, but over the course of the winter, skiers form all over New England pick up the Boston Globe on Thursdays to read the two pages dedicated to skiing and snowboarding. Having returned from a long day a work yesterday, I opened the sport’s section to the last few pages and the Tony Chamberlain articles were missing. There were no black and white photos of skiers or riders with smiles on their faces. I scuffled through the other pages, but to my dismay, it was all Red Sox, Celtics, and NCAA Tournament coverage. Yes, we will be skiing in northern New England for several more weeks, but my Thursday will be a little less anticipated till Tony and the gang returns next fall.

Sunday Makes News of New Hybrid Lift Official

While many people had been tlaking about the rumors of a new Chondola lift at Sunday River, the resort continued to stress for months that nothing was imminent. That was until today when the resort announced that plans are final for the $7 million combination gondola and six person chairlift, or "Chondola" as it's referred to. Sunday River will become the 4th resort in North America with one of these lifts, the closest other being at Mont Orford in southern Quebec. While additional plans were not annouced, this is widely thought to be the first step in a long-term expansion process that will include the Chondola as the center of the resorts activities including hiking and night skiing.

Sweetser finally cracks the top 10 at Nationals!

After going five years without a breakthough performance at the national level, Sam Sweetser of Cumberland, Maine - and son of Ski Maine Association Executive Director, Greg Sweetser - finally cracked the top 10 on Monday in the men's downhill at Sugarloaf, Maine. Sweetser knew going into the event that it may be his last, especially without a top result, but was happy to be least attempted it on a mountain he grew up racing and knows well. The 5th place finish is Sweeter's best career result in the downhill, which was won by T.J. Lanning, the surprise winner who also captured the combined gold.

For the Love of the Sport!

Skiing, along with the resorts we frequent, present a lot of pride. You may come from a small mountain with a couple of rope tows, but damn it, if that’s your home hill, you better defend it! That’s the way it seems at least, and quite frankly, I am just as bad as anyone when it comes to sticking up for my home mountain, (Sunday River) the mountain I grew skiing and still love, (Sugarloaf) or indeed all the ski areas and resorts form my home state of Maine. I’d probably even raise an eyebrow is someone harped on Verbier or trash-talked Wengen. Why? Because it is human nature for us to be connected to these places that we love. To us, they are scared and represent a heck of a lot more than they do to others. Sadly, though, there are some that really take this a little too far. I mean far to the point of obsession. Yes, some friendly banter back and forth has always been good and will always be present in the industry. There are any number of online forums where you can go and talk about your favorite trails, mountains, and mountain regions. A couple great places to do so are Alpine Zone and SnowJournal, but in my personal opinion, which is just that, you cross the line when you go into someone’s home territory and pick this fight. For example, I would never go to the Killington Zone talk about how I thought that Sugarbush is a better resort or how Sugarloaf’s continuous vertical drop makes their piled-up vertical look silly. Not only would I not get any satisfaction out of it, but it’s flat out rude and disrespectful to that resort and the good folks that ski and ride it. It’s a matter of respect and respect is something one should learn from spending time in the mountains. Skiing is NOT about vertical drop, inches of snow received the third week of March, or how many trail names a resort can squeak out of the actual geographical confides of the resort’s boundaries. Skiing is about the freedom of the mountains, being outdoors, having fun with family and friends, pushing oneself past their boundaries, and discovery. Skiing is NOT about high-speed 6-packs or 120-person trams, it’s about letting your skis glide down that crystallized surface with a smile as wide as Montana and the feeling that you’re still 15-years-old and you never have to grow up. All of those things truly add to the experience, but will never define the sport. I feel bad for those who lose sight of these things and because clearly they are in the sport for the wrong reasons. I’m sure there is hope for them, the bug gets us all at one point or another; I guess it just got me a lot younger than some. Regardless, I can honestly say without any equivocation that as long as it has some pitch and a frozen surface, I’m into it. That hill or mountain may be in Alaska, Nevada, Vermont, Maine, or Scotland. You see it doesn’t matter where it exists, it only matters that it exists. When we get such a wonderful chance to spend so much of our lives playing, how dare we take advantage of such a blessing?

Miller Snubs Maine Faithful!

One week removed from hoisting two crystal globes - one for the men's combined alpine skiing season title and the other for the men's overall, Bode Miller has apparently had enough skiing and press. As the annual U.S. National Alpine Championships begun at Sugarloaf, Maine, Miller was elsewhere. Having attended Carrabassett Valley Academy at the base of the mountain, Miller is a fan favorite and idol to many aspiring racers and recreational skiers alike in the part of the country, but apparently 7 months on the World Cup circuit was enough as Miller's agent confirmed that he was off to a sunny and warm place to relax after the season. I guess one more week was too much to ask from a guy who gained a lot from this mountain community. Quite frankly, it's sad, but thankful fans will get to see the women's downhill and overall champion, Lindsay Vonn in action, as she arrived for the week-long event. Ted Ligety, who won the giant slalom title in the last week of competition is home in Utah having a hand injury evaluated.
And typical of Maine weather, the downhill, which was slated for both men and women for Saturday will at least be postponed due to variable course conditions, high winds, and blowing snow.

To Learn of A Legend

This season has been nothing short of amazing for those of us who ski and ride Sunday River. Much of this has to do with the abundant snowfall, which has been well above average, but also it has a lot to do with the new ownership and the new operators; Boyne USA. While the ownership changed hands a little late to see largely tangible results on the mountain, the philosophy and ideas that have come forth from Boyne are uplifting, energetic, and bring hope to the resort and the surrounding communities. While staying in one of the resort hotels, I noticed a copy of the family patriarch’s autobiography, Everett Kircher: Michigan’s Resort Pioneer. While I’ve only skimmed the book thus far, much of the information sheds light on why the late Kircher is so revered for his enthusiasm, ideas, and innovation. Everett Kircher passed away in January of 2002, but the family business is being carried on and his legact remains. For those who ski at areas operated by the Boyne family, this should be a must read and not to worry, due to the fact it’s a soft cover, it’ll fit in your jacket for the lift!

Shawnee Peak Shuts Off The Lights

With my car packed before work, Jules and I had planned to make our last night skiing trip to Shawnee Peak yesterday. An employee had told me that last night would be the last night of night skiing for the season despite record snowfall. I can’t say enough about how night skiing after work relieves stress from a long day at the office and when timed right, the views over the horizon and towards the White Mountains of New Hampshire are hard to beat. Then when I check the web page to see what the expected temps were going to be, I was saddened to learn that Monday was actually the last night. While I’m not at a loss for skier days this year, I would have like one last night, but I’ll have to wait until next year. That of course will bring another topic – where I’ll be skiing at night. Yes, I’ll still race at Shawnee on Wednesday nights with my team, but if all goes according to plans, I may be able to ski on Fridays as well…

Anyone heard from Stumpy???

I’m curious if I’m the only one that is questions whether we will actually see the long-awaited Legend of Ahhhs this fall. While Rob Story recently wrote a piece on Greg Stump and this upcoming project, there has been little to no other press about it. As a matter of fact, when I do a Google search for the movie title, my previous post comes up first – odd. You’d think that if a film was being made that was going to “win the Sundance Film Festival” as Stumpy said in an interview in May of 2007, there would be a little more build-up. Perhaps I’m totally wrong or maybe I’m just worried that this won’t happen and this, like so many other rumored projects, will falls through the cracks. I certainly hope not, especially with the 20th anniversary of The Blizzard of Ahhhs this year.

What's your mountain theme?

I’ve recently talked a little with different folks about how music relates to skiing and being in a mountain environment. One thing to distinguish is that there is a huge difference from music you listen to on the mountain while you’re skiing, music you go to hear at a local bar or après venue, and music you think about when you picture mountain living. I know this may sound a little odd, but if you could suspend normal thinking for a moment picture you last trip to Telluride or Tahoe or wherever. If there was a soundtrack for the places you ski, what would be on it? I recall watching movies form the 70’s and 80’s that had a lot of country/western in them. I can see this; mountains have that rugged feeling that comes through particularly well in such music. So I pose the question of what musicians and types of music you associate with your favorite ski town. I’m still working on a list for mine, but for any town surrounding Lake Tahoe, it really is country/western all the way; John Denver, in particular. While most people associate him with Aspen – and they should as he lived there a long time – he lived on the South Shore for a while and performed annual events there throughout the 70’s and 80’s. Your turn!

Eastern Spring Skiing Options

While public relations often push ski areas to open as early as possible despite less than wonderful conditions and packed slopes, the race to stay open the latest is far-less heated in the east than in previous decades. After the announcement that Powdr Corp would run Killington, the Park City, UT based company advised that they would not operate the ski resort into May like all previous owners and operators had done. Killington is still scheduled to close in April this season despite extensive snow pack. Two seasons ago, Bretton Woods not only made a play to stay open the latest in the east, they pulled it off by operating a novice trail on the second weekend of May, but the scheduling of “Bodefest” was one determining factor. Under new ownership since last season, BW’s philosophy on late season skiing has changed back to a more traditional model. For skiers and riders looking to make late-season lift serviced turns, there will be at least a few options in the east. The last few years Sugarbush in Vermont has made their faithful happy by having one of the longest seasons in the state – this year should be no different. New Hampshire sliders were able to either hike Tuckerman Ravine or just watch others doing it last season as Wildcat Stayed open into May by making week-to-week operational decisions and offering up over 2000 feet of vertical on their closing day. Finally, in Maine, both Sugarloaf (notice the lack of “USA”) and Sunday River stayed open till the end of April last season with the former having good cover all the way through May for hikers to enjoy. This year promises to be much of the same. Sugarloaf has announced its’ intention to operate into May, conditions permitting. Sunday River announced yesterday that they plan to shoot for April 27th, again conditions permitting. While tough ecomonic times may keep most resorts from runnings lifts past the point of profit, this skier looks forward to a long spring season and is happy to drive to the last open resort. After that I'll strap the skis to my back and head for Tucks!

Bethel Sets Snow-Person World Record Again

It was a little over a decade a go when the good folks of Bethel, Maine set a world record by erecting the world’s largest snowman. His name was Angus, which was the name of our governor at the time. So it came as no surprise when the same good folks of Bethel decided that the world record needed to get broken. Why? Because aside from snowmobiling, skiing, and watching the snow pile up... literally, there isn't much else to do around these parts. Okay, there's hunting, but it's highly seasonal. Now just so people know, Bethel isn't afraid to shy away from a challange and this record re-certification is not because someone else built a bigger snowman - no one tried. Armed with snowmaking machines from Sunday River and owners Boyne USA, Bethel’s newest “Snowwoman” was built and her name is Olympia – pun intended. For the record, Olympia stands at over 122 feet tall and her eye lashes are made of skis. The eyes and buttons are made of 5-foot in diameter rubber tires. I've heard some estimates of the total weight being in the millions, but yikes, that sounds like a lot. Regardless, this is a pretty cool site, especially up close.

Sugarloaf gears up for Alpine Championships

The U.S. National Alpine Championships are set to begin on Wednesday, March 19th at Sugarloaf, Maine. After capturing 5 crystal globes this past week for perhaps its’ best season ever, American skiers will converge on this western Maine resort for the 4th time since 1996 for the annual National Championships. Sugarloaf is home to Carrabassett Valley Academy, which is the alma mater of newly crowned overall World Cup winner, Bode Miller. The event will run through Wednesday, March 26th. As of today, all the stars from the U.S. Ski Team, as well as Bode Miller were expected to attend the races, which were last help at Sugarloaf in 2006.

A Sense of Community at Sunday River!

The second Meet n’ Greet with Sunday River Management was a huge success once again on Saturday. The dedicated and faithful forum members were up early for first tracks and then got together for some food and fun in the afternoon. The sense of community is long been missing at Sunday River, but it’s been building over the last couple of years and I for one, am glad to be a part of it. It’s easy to go skiing or own a condo, but to take part in something special like this takes time and commitment. This is a special group of folks who love the outdoors, love Sunday River, love to bust on each other, and love to have a great time. Thanks to all!

No, I'm not a ski bum. Kinda wish I were, though!

Okay, so the fact of the matter is that I really do love skiing. No kidding, right – the first 15 or so posts on here have been all about skiing, but realistically, it is my passion. I know that others have passions and I am careful to respect them for what they are. That said, I am not a typical ski bum and quite frankly I think it’s silly that some folks choose to make that comparison because I’ve skied so many days this year. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think there is anything wrong with being a ski bum. I couldn’t live the lifestyle that many do, but my life goals are what they are. The truth is that as long as the term has existed, people have considered ski bums to be unmotivated souls that have low paying jobs, ski everyday, and party every night. Sounds like a blast, but it’s not in the real world cards for someone like me. Now the fact that I’ve already skied 70 days this year has had some people actually criticize me and liken me to having this type of unmotivated lifestyle. No, I shouldn’t and don’t really care what these people think, but I’m curious as to why they would act this way. Is it jealousy? Does the fact that I work 50 hours a week and still ski a ton make them feel like they need to lash out? Perhaps. And while it’s only a couple people, I just think it’s a poor vibe to spread around ski country. Bobr for one, would not appreciate it. Okay, so now that is off my chest, no more skiing rants… only skiing!

Vonn & Miller Clinch Over World Cup Globes!

It was March 1983, 25 years ago when Sports Illustrated published a magazine with Phil Mahre and Tamera McKinney on the cover together. Who, you ask? Phil and Tamera had just become the first US skiers to win the overall Alpine World Cup skiing titles in the same year. Given the yearly dominance of the Europeans, it was the first and the last time this had happened until today. It should also be noted that a male and a female form the same country winning in the same year almost never happens, regardless of what countries they represent. Regardless, with strong finished in the giant slalom and slalom respectively, Bode Miller and Lindsay Vonn both clinched the overall titles today. While there will be much more on this later, especially as Miller, who skis for the US, doesn’t ski for the US Ski Team; however, another American clichéd a title today as 2006 Combined Olympic Gold Medalist, Ted Ligety, won the final giant slalom, which was not only his second win in a month, but earned him the giant slalom globe. Ligety’s title makes it four title for the Americans this year. These include the two overalls and Lindsay Vonn’s Downhill title.

Of note, Miller only trailed Didier Cuche of Switzerland by five points prior to Wednesday’s scheduled downhill, which was cancelled due to weather. The cancellation gave Cuche the title. Something tells me Miller isn’t all that upset.

Heavenly to stay open into May!

There are pros and cons in having a large percent of your ski resort be in National Forest Land. Quite frankly, I haven’t found any of the pros as of yet, but I know there are many people out there who have a laundry list of them, so out of respect, I’ll agree that there are pros. I think one of the drawbacks for western resorts in the last few decades is that most have to close in mid-April when the mountain is 100% open, because of agreements with the forest service. Now I understand that there is a unique balance of nature, but as a skier, I doubt I’d make many friends with the environmentalist ‘cause I think people should ski till the snow is gone. Interestingly, Heavenly Mountain Resort is almost entirely on National Forest Land, but for some reason or another, someone gave them the go ahead to break from tradition as Heavenly recently announced that they will not close at the traditional time in April and have extended their season into May due to the large snowfall totals to date. While I think this is fabulous, I also think it should be noted that both the forest service and the mountain have worked well over the past few years and this might be the fruits of the relationship. Perhaps both can have their way!

Sugarloaf's getting back to basics!

Upon completion of the resorts former centerpiece – the PHB base to summit 4-person gondola – Sugarloaf ski resort wanted a way to make sure the skiing public knew they were out to be a major player in eastern skiing. With trails being cut to international racing standards, Sugarloaf added “/usa” to its’ name in 1966.
For many of us, the resort has always been known as Sugarloaf/usa, but times change. The gondola that once stood as symbol for the massive ski resort, is now gone (The last remnant – the decrepit mid-station was removed from the mountain this past summer.) and the resort finally has a financially viable operator in that of Boyne/USA. So while it was still a little under the radar, the mountain made the decision last summer to “get back to basics,” as I’ve been told. Apparently many folks felt that “usa” wasn’t the best representation of the resort that had been developed as just Sugarloaf for 15 years before the initial name change. There are many people that still don’t know the change has happened, but when you go around the resort or see those famous triangles on the bumpers of cars, or indeed on rival mountains’ lift towers; expect a different look. Just don’t expect a different mountain. Sugarloaf still makes the rest of eastern skiing and riding look small.

Will Legend of Ahhhs make it to the silver screen?

It's been almost 20 years since the debut of the ski film that changed the way we as skiers and riders truly viewed "ski porn." From the depths of almost absolute obscurity, Greg Stump has re-emerged and will put out his first film in 10 years, "The Legend of Ahhhs." Unfortunately there will be no new skiing or riding footage, but instead, this will be more of a documentary about the business of revolutionizing the ski movie industry. With the help of old friends, Glen Plake, Scot Schmidt, and Mike Hattrup, Stumpy has stepped up to the plate after several years of part-time work, so to speak.
And after watching "Siberia" a few weeks back, I know why he did this. No. Of course I don't know why, but I have a better idea of why he stopped making ski films. First, I think he thought he'd done all he wanted to do in the ski film industry with the completion of a "Fistful of Moguls," (Some of which was shot in the Blue World, FYI) the passing of Craig Kelley may have been one of the biggest factors. Anyone who has seen Siberia know that there really isn't a lot of ski or snowboard footage, which really hurt Stump financially, but again, if you've seen it, you know why. The mountains they went to ski were for the most part unskiable. Every slope was avalanche prone and Stump feared for the lives of Schmidt and Kelley. There is a one camcorder-shot scene where Schmidt skis out of the slough of an avalanche, barely making it to safety. A few years later, Craig Kelley was lost to an Avalanche in British Columbia.
Not that Stump does have his other share of demons, he surely does and it's evident by the drop off in his work and his "compound" in Idaho known as the Vortex, but there is no doubting the artistic brilliance of this man. It may have taken some of his friends to drag him out of a stupor to make this film, but it sells and is a success, Stump will come full circle and prove that he was a flash in the pan for that one solid decade.

A great weekend for U.S men in Chamonix!

Skiers from the United States swept the top spots at both alpine events this past weekend in Chamonix, France. Now don't get confused; I didn't say that the U.S. Ski Team took both top spots 'cause in the era of Team America and a Bode-less USST, things can get a little wacky, but the fact of the matter is that Marco Sullivan, who has been long overdue, screamed to his first World Cup win in the downhill. On Sunday, Bode Miller won his 29th career race with a 1st in the super-combined. This was the second combined win in a row for Miller and put him back atop the overall WC standings, passing Austrian Benjamin Reich and Swiss downhiller Didier Cuche.